Match Thread Bradford City v Grimsby Town EFL (Vertu) Trophy Tue 2 Sep 2025 7.30pm

Is there highlights available?
I was working last night so missed it.

 

Yeh if he isnt feeling it for Saturday then dont risk him but if he is fit then its a no brainer. Needs that extra little bit of matxh sharpness before Town, Cardiff and Newcastle (we wont have a tougher run of games all season).

 

We would have beaten Man Utd without penalties.

 

"Just sat, trawling, scrolling and reminiscing"

 

Cheers.

 

Only saw the second half so only just seeing the sending off from the highlights. It looks a bit harsh to me but not the best angle.

Also think the penalty was soft. Kind of killed the game as grimsby are only gonna try park the bus after that.

Thank god for Cook. I would take him getting a brace in a 20 minute cameo every game

 

I do agree Dave but no one else in the squad even remotely looked like scoring last night.

Whilst it's not a "one size fits all" approach this season I really do think we'll need Swan and Cook to chip in plenty because for all Humphrys brings to the team he's just not a natural finisher and despite the narrative Alexander continues to push, he's just not going to get you enough goals for a central striker.

That said, we also don't play a genuine 3 up top so I'm not sure that the left attacking mid would suit him any better and at the moment it's no.9 or the bench I'd say.

 

That's closer to my face reading back at the comments.

 

Has someone been peeling onions?

 

There's genuine competition now. We already know Cook will thrive on that, remains to be seen whether it will make or break Humphrys.

 

Always needs some context in this cup anyway, Tyler Smith looks a word beater in this competition. Cook is the most natural goalscorer we have on the books and getting a few on return will do him the world of good. I dont think he'll be starting a game for a while anyway, but these 20/30 minute cameos might be enough to A) have a proper striker on the pitch to put chances away against a tiring defence or B) give Humphrys the kick up the arse he needs to start finishing the chances he is getting when he sees Cook and Swan biting for his slot.

But there's always the old "you only score against whats infront of you". On Grimsby, I honestly so far this season haven't really noticed any difference in quality between the bottom half of L1 and the better teams in L2.

 

I'm not crying. You are.

 

Just said something similar. Humphrys has a unreal ability to hit the ball straight at the goalie in a half paced shot.

Cook is probably the best striker we've had in decades, there's only Wells that has scored a lot of goals for us at a better goals per minute ratio, Wells was the perfect finisher for the PP 442 next to Hanson, but Cookie has scored at a mental rate in a 4231 keep ball Hughes system, in a long ball boring whateverthefudge Adams tactic, he scored in the 433 GA started with then the wing back system we have now. We have a striker that can adapt and score in any tactic we've tried him in, and that HAS to be the shot up the backside Humphrys needs to start putting shots away.

 

Very happy to have been proved wrong about when Sir Andy would be back.

What an amazing feat at 35 years old to come back after 9 months and make an instant impact.

Very rare I label any City player a legend, Ces Podd, Stuart McCall and Sir Bobby Campbell spring to mind, but Cooky is surely one of them?

 

Just a word about Joe Hilton. I thought he look assured in goal and recycled the ball fairly quickly to keep the momentum going. Didn’t really come under any sustained pressure, but he did what he had to do. No fault for the penalty.

 

one. pop the last goals he scored at Valley parade before injury was stunning.. 35 yards out he really was at it then.... an d last season

 

Seems to be decrying the fact that we don't shoot for goal at every opportunity.

 

Humphrys carries a threat which can have a defence all at sea, but as you say his finishing is poor. I’m not sure what his shot to goal ratio is, but he must have at least 4 or 5 per game. You can sense his frustration at not scoring, but he’s starting to remind me of the older boy who joins in a game of football and just wants to shoot on sight, ignoring his teammates who might be in better positions.

 

Brilliant...A legend, nothing less ...